Blackheads on your underarms could be due to excessive sweating, tight clothing and a lack of regular hygiene.

Blackheads occur on your underarms because of:

A build up of sweat, oil and grime in your armpits due to a lack of bathing or failure to pay attention to basic hygiene causes greasy clogs in your skin pores to form

Shaving with a dull razor, which can cause ingrown hairs that become infected and that manifest as blackheads

Long underarm hair growth that has deposited sweat, dirt and secreted oils on the skin

Using creamy lotions as deodorant every day, which clogs the pores under the arms with chemicals

Wearing clothing fabrics such as rayon or polyester, that do not allow the skin to breath and cause excessive sweating

Wearing latex or rubber clothing which smothers skin pores and causes them to sweat and become clogged

The use of crutches, especially unclean ones with unclean handles, directly under the arms

Diabetes Type II, which causes excess sweating and changes in hormones that can provoke breakouts

Hormonal changes caused by perimenopause, menopause or puberty

Excessive sweating due to anxiety or nervousness, which causes comedones to form in skin pores under the arms

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Method 1: With A Geranium Essential Oil

Geranium oil helps balance out hormones, which are often the cause of blackheads under the arms.

Geranium oil is a very effective remedy for individuals who are suffering from blackheads under the arms because of stress or because of hormonal disruptions in the body or in the environment. Geranium oil is also known for balancing the hormones, thus helping to prevent excessive sweating due to puberty, menopause or perimenopause. Geranium oil is also a very soothing scent, helping to calm your nerves, which in turn can help reduce the sweating that is often behind a bad case of blackheads. The hot steam from the towel helps open the pores and facilitate the expulsion of grease and oil from the clogged skin and hair follicles.

Pour two liters of boiling water into a basin big enough to hold two large washcloths and add fifteen drops of pure Geranium essential oil to it.

If you are only treating one arm pit, you only need to use just one wash cloth. If you are certain your blackhead breakouts can be attributed to hormonal causes you can add up to 21 drops of geranium essential oil to the basin. Geranium essential oil is sold at most health food stores and it is best to go for pure organic, cold-pressed oils which are purer and stronger than processed or diluted oils.

Drop the two washcloths into the basin and let them soak in the bath of geranium essential oil.

Get a long spoon or a stick and stir the washcloths around in the basin to make sure that the washcloths are absorbing the essential oil of geranium. The idea is to have a washcloth that you can apply to your armpits that is steaming but not too hot to touch.

A large basin is ideal for soaking the washcloths that will act as the hot compresses.

When they have cooled down enough to handle, wring the washcloths out well and place one of each under each armpit.

This helps steam open the pores and moisten them so that they will eject their content. Clench your arms against your torso to keep the washcloth in place under your arms. It is also easiest to do this mask while lying down.

Wring each wash cloth out well before you apply them to your underarms.

After fifteen minutes have passed, get in the shower and use the washcloths to scrub your under arms thoroughly.

This should help remove many blackheads from under your arms. If you cannot remove the blackheads this way, then it is best to see a cosmetic professional or a doctor to get them removed as it is very difficult and a bit dangerous to remove them yourself with an extraction tool. It is not an area of the body that most can easily get to or see in order to remove stubborn blemishes.

Rinse your armpits thoroughly with chilly water and then when you get out of the shower, pat them gently dry.

You do not need to wash your armpits after this treatment, as you want the essential oil of geranium oils to continue to do their job. Do not use deodorant after this treatment either, as most deodorants contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that can cause an over-production of oil in the pores and then more blackheads.

You can do this geranium oil hot towel compress every day to remove blackheads.

It is also acceptable to do the compress with eight to ten drops of oil as you and still get some results. Be aware that using less oil could make the treatment less effective. Do not use more than thirty drops in one treatment in order to avoid allergic reactions, dermatitis and toxicity.

Method 2: With A Baking Soda and Eucalyptus Scrub

Baking soda is a natural fine natural exfoliate that works to gently loosen and remove blackheads from under the arms. Essential oil of eucalyptus is a very strong anti-microbial disinfectant that is both anti-viral and anti-bacterial. It is also mildly drying and helps shrink the pores and reduce inflammation. Eucalyptus oil also helps regulate central nervous system function and relax the entire body. This results in a reduction of sweating caused by nervousness, hormones and any physical or psychological stress. As an added bonus, both baking soda and essential oil of eucalyptus remove underarm odor by vanquishing the bacteria that causes it.

Take the bowl of baking soda and eucalyptus scrub into the shower with you.

Start by steaming your arms in the hottest water you can stand, so that you can open your pores. Use the baking soda and eucalyptus mixture to scrub vigorously under both armpits for about five minutes per armpit to remove blackheads. You can also use a gentle exfoliating puff to help remove the blackheads. Do not use an extraction tool on your armpits by yourself. Blackhead extraction on the armpits is best done by a professional cosmetician or dermatologist. If by any chance you suffer a reaction that includes a burning or itching sensation, remove the mask immediately as it could mean you are allergic to the eucalyptus oil.

You can use a scrubber to clean the baking soda and eucalyptus scrub from your arm pits as well.

Shower off the mask with cold water and pat your armpits dry with a small towel.

There is no need to wash your armpits after this scrub because the eucalyptus oil and the baking soda will have done a great job of thoroughly cleansing the area. Do not apply deodorant or any type of cream to the area after you are done as that could trigger a new breakout of blackheads.

Finish off this treatment by taking a cold shower that will close your pores.

You can do this eucalyptus oil hot towel compress every day to remove blackheads.

It is also acceptable to do the compress with five to six drops of oil as you and still achieve similar results . Keep in mind that the less eucalyptus oil you use, the less effective it will be, but it is not a good idea to use more than 21 drops of eucalyptus oil in any scrub mixture to avoid irritating the skin.

Method 3: With An Olive Oil, Coconut Sugar and Yogurt Scrub

Coconut sugar is a healthy, effective coarse scrub that can help remove blackheads from under your arms.

This simple scrub that removes blackheads from the armpits contains coconut sugar, which is a very coarse and brown in color. The sugar crystals start out as exfoliating agents when you first begin the scrub and then, thanks to your body's natural heat melt down to more of a syrup; the sugars in liquid form then help resurface the upper layers of your skin and pull oils and grease out of the pore. Olive oil is very moisturizing and helps loosen stubborn comedones from the skin, by softening the tops of stubborn oil plugs. Olive oil is also a rich source of essential fatty acids, which helps the skin repair it self. Yogurt contains lactic acids, which are milk sugars that also help clean and resurface the skin, as well as help it retain moisture. All three ingredients in this scrub can also help prevent scarring and itching due to blackhead breakouts.

Method 4: With Apple Cider Vinegar and Unscented Baby Powder

Raw organic apple cider vinegar is known for it's ability to kill bacteria on the skin. It is also a natural astringent that shrinks pores. Apple cider vinegar also kills skin fungi and helps to dissolve dead skin cells and ingrown hairs that might be causing blackheads to form. It is also a potent natural anti-inflammatory that helps prevent redness and prevent the chronic swelling that can provoke repeated blackhead breakouts under the arms. The unscented baby powder is a mild exfoliate that acts as a skin polisher, removing surface sweat and grime and helping the blocked pores to pop their hard clogged tops and expel their contents. Baby powder is also very absorbent and can help draw oils, grease and infection out of the skin.

Turn on the shower and rinse the scrub off of your arm pits with warm to cool water.

There is no need to wash your armpits after doing this scrub because you want the apple cider vinegar to continue to heal and soften your skin for hours afterwards. You should also not apply a deodorant or shave your armpits right after doing this treatment as you might trigger inflammation and swelling.

Don't use deodorant right after a treatment for blackheads under your arms or you could trigger inflammation.

You can also substitute a very fine iodized salt or fine sugar for the baby powder if you like. If the skin under your arms becomes swollen or red, cease treatment for a day or two until the problem goes away.

Method 5: With Vitamin E Oil, Olive OIl and Liquid Honey

This very sticky remedy for blackheads under the arms works to soften the oils in the blackheads and the pull the dead skin debris and grease out of the pores. Vitamin E softens the skin, heals it and puts a stop to the chronic inflammation that causes outbreaks in the first place. Olive oil contains essential fatty acids that nourish the skin and soften it, helping the pores to expel their greasy contents. Liquid honey is antibacterial and anti-fungal, helping clean up any infection that might be causing the breakouts in the first place.

Leave the mixture on for about five minutes and then rinse off with warm water.

You may also cleanse the area with a mild glycerin based soap like Pears or Neutrogena. If your underarms do not feel sticky, you may prefer to not wash and let the olive oil, honey and Vitamin E penetrate your skin for a number hours afterwards.

Method 6: By Waxing

Wax strips can be used to remove blackheads from under the arms.

Home waxing kits were initially developed to remove hair from the armpits and other parts of the body, but they can also be used to remove blackheads As the melted wax hardens it reaches deep into the skin follicles to pull hair out by the root, it also manages to take blackheads with it. This is a good way to remove blackheads that you suspect are caused by ingrown hairs.

The easiest solution is to buy a hair removal waxing kit that allows you to warm it for a few seconds in a microwave and then apply cotton strips to be used to strip off the wax under your arms. If the kit does not come with applicator sticks, you must buy popsicle sticks, plastic knives or a cosmetic spatula to use to apply it under your arms. Brands that have these strips in their strips are Veet and Nair.

Make sure that your skin pores are very dry before you start the application process.

If your underarms feel very oily or greasy or have residue from deodorant spray or lotion on them, be sure to wash and dry them thoroughly first. If not, the wax will remove the built-up product instead of the hair and blackheads from your underarms. You might also want to shave your armpits before waxing them so that the wax is removing skin cells and grease rather than just hair.

For most types of strip wax for the boy, this means melting the wax in the microwave for three to four minutes. Some brands will also give you instructions for melting the wax over a double boiler on the stove, but using the microwave takes just seconds is much more efficient.

This should dislodge any of the blackheads lodged in your pores as well as all hair. This may sting a little. The key to minimizing pain when using wax strips it to pull it back as quickly as possible from the skin. Expect a stinging sensation and a bit of pain as you rip the strip away from your skin.

Method 7: With Nair

Nair hair removal cream has mild chemicals in it that can help dissolve blackheads. Nair works by dissolving protein, which is what hair and dead skin cells that clog pores are made of. As the hair removal product dissolves, the surface of the skin is changed and the blackhead are shed. As an added bonus, the hair under your arms is also removed, creating a less friendly environment for blackheads to flourish.

Make sure your skin is as dry and clean as possible. Nowadays Nair comes premixed so application is simple. An applicator for applying the cream to your body is included in the hair removal kit. Be sure to use a tool as hair will be removed from any area of the body that touches the cream or lotion.

Leave the Nair Cream on your underarms for ten minutes and then rinse it off in the shower.

It is normal for this procedure to have a slightly sulphuric smell. Do not wash your underarms after as that may irritate your skin pores and trigger oily sebum production. This could trigger another outbreak of blackheads.

Method 8: With Ammonium Lactate Lotion

Look for Ammonium Lactate Lotion with a 12% strength or more to remove blackheads from your underarms.

Ammonium lactate lotion is a product that is typically used to relieve dry or scaly skin, but it also works as a blackhead removal cream for under the arms. It is a combination of lactic acids, which are very strong skin resurfacers and ammonium chloride, which cleans skin and also shrinks your pores. This mixture also is a humectant, which means that it also helps dry skin, preventing skin pores from getting too dry and overproducing moisture. As an added bonus, ammonium lactate will also reduce any itching that may occur as a result of having inflamed blackheads or ingrown hairs as well as prevent bumps or scars from forming as a result of blemishes.

It is okay to have the residue of this cream under your arms for the day as it also acts as a natural deodorant. Do not apply creams, lotion or deodorants to your armpits after this treatment as you could clog the skin pores and cause yet another breakout..

Tips and Tricks

If your armpits are caught in a chronic cycle of inflammation then you might want to cease using deodorant for a few days to see if that helps stop the outbreaks

Use a natural herbal deodorant instead of a commercial one

Shave your armpits on a regular basis so that the skin is not subjected to pouring sweat being caught in the hairs

Be sure to change your razor blades often as dirty razor blades can cause infections and repeated blackhead breakouts

Avoid using disposable razors as they tend to have less blades and scrape the skin, leaving it vulnerable to infections, ingrown hairs and breakouts of blackheads

If you suspect that shaving is causing your issue, stop for two weeks and see if this helps reduce the chronic inflammation and breakouts

If inflammation or redness occurs in your armpits after using any of these treatments, don't use them again as this could cause the kind of inflammation that provokes pores to overproduce oil and create more blackheads

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